vs. Who wore it best? The Prince!

Shout was a strong book. It makes more sense if you've previously read Anderson's Speak (and if you haven't read it, you definitely should). The thing about this memoir in verse though is that it really isn't young adult fiction. It's an adult memoir. Although some of the experiences she's reflecting on occurred during childhood and adolescence, the poems are written from a pretty adult perspective. The topics are heavy and the reading can be depressing. And while adolescents can, and perhaps should, deal with some of the difficult topics Anderson broaches, she's looking at her PTSD'd father's abuse of her mother in a way that might be beyond young readers. In short, read Speak, then read this for yourself.

The Prince and the Dressmaker is a romp in comparison. The story is absorbing. It's fun. It's pretty, but it also has substance. Even though none of us are regular graphic novel readers, we all enjoyed the read. The graphics drew us in. We slowed down to read the pictures as well as the text.
We need more LGBTQ+ presence in our books. More kids need to be able to see themselves reflected in fiction. And our "mainstream" kids need to see that other kids can be the hero of the story too. The Prince and the Dressmaker gives readers LGBTQ+ content without being trite. It's about the pressure of familial expectations and gender roles, the risk it can take to be yourself, and the ways families can support kids. It has a happy ending, but it's not a simplistic happy ending, everyone finds a role.

That's 3 Ottewellian votes for The Prince and the Dressmaker. 

Renee (who wants some of Cressida's swirly dresses), Megan, Dianne